I checked @MMDA’s timeline (it was almost midnight), and sure enough, it was awake and buzzing, busy posting traffic updates and answering motorists’ queries on traffic. I knew there was a very slim chance that the account would engage in an apog discussion, and I wryly made this comment to @Doc4Dead:

@Doc4Dead and the hapless night shift @mmda twitter operator looks up from traffic reports and scratches his/her head

So this got me thinking, maybe it’s time for the @MMDA account, which has received its own share of praise and appreciation from netizens for its real-time updates and active social media interaction on traffic and flood situations, to level up its engagement and also discuss other initiatives of the agency? Its specialty right now is providing real-time updates, especially on traffic, which I guess is also the main reason why people follow the account, but how about also fostering the mentality of preparedness/planning among its followers?

According to RA 7924, the law which created MMDA, the scope of the agency’s services include: traffic management, solid waste management, flood control and sewerage management, urban renewal, health and sanitation, and public safety. It is on the public safety aspect to which the apog issue is related to, since MMDA is tasked to formulate and implement programs for “preparedness for preventive or rescue operations during times of calamities and disasters such as conflagrations, earthquake, flood and tidal waves.” I’m sure that there is a lot that MMDA can discuss on its initiatives on these services, and lots of room for social media engagement as well. Yes, do let us have the traffic updates, but sometimes, let’s talk about apog too.